After 5 1/2 years in sunny Krakow, I'm on my way out. So, question ...

If a prospective new employer (not in Poland) wants to check my (non)criminal past, what can I give them and where can i get it? I could arrange a CRB (criminal records bureau check) for my time back in England, but do the Polish police issue such things for foreigners, for the time spent here?

Normally I'd agree with you and relish a trip to the local courts as much as a 3-hour Saturday morning Polish lesson on the dative case. However ...

All you need to do (I've since found out) is go to your local court (google up a list of district offices) and go to the window for KRAJOWY REJESTR KARNY (Eng.: National Crime Register). Fill in a very easy one-page form (using only your passport as ID), get the form stamped at another window for 50zł and return to the first window where someone will do a quick check on a database showing crimes commmitted in Poland (suppposedly) and, one minute later, you get your form back, all stamped and stamped again.

The only thing is, though, that they don't put any start date on the form - only 'today's' date. So it doesn't really say how long you've been a good boy (unless you can support it with old zameldowania docs - and that's no good for prospective foreign new employers).

Normally I'd agree with you and relish a trip to the local courts as much as a 3-hour Saturday morning Polish lesson on the dative case. However ...

All you need to do (I've since found out) is go to your local court (google up a list of district offices) and go to the window for KRAJOWY REJESTR KARNY (Eng.: National Crime Register). Fill in a very easy one-page form (using only your passport as ID), get the form stamped at another window for 50zł and return to the first window where someone will do a quick check on a database showing crimes commmitted in Poland (suppposedly) and, one minute later, you get your form back, all stamped and stamped again.

The only thing is, though, that they don't put any start date on the form - only 'today's' date. So it doesn't really say how long you've been a good boy (unless you can support it with old zameldowania docs - and that's no good for prospective foreign new employers).

Anyway, that's it. Simple, cheap - but how useful, I don't know.

Thanks for this. I actually have to get one myself now to teach at a summer school. I'm glad it's relatively easy.